Plate proving and trimming machine.



0. ROESEN.

PLATE PROVING AND TRIMMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1907.'

1,125,179. Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

0. ROESEN. PLATE PROVING AND TRIMMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1907.

0. ROESEN.

PLATE PROVING AND TRIMMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1907.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

5 BHEETS-SHEET 4.

V, :Emmunu 0. ROESEN.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Inna-2 ZZZ-7'1 7 Mafia.

PLATE PROVING AND TRIMMING MAGH1NE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1907.

UNITED STATEQIATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR ROESEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO R.H OE AND (30., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PLATE PROVING AND TRIMMING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented an. 19, 1915.

Application filed May 1, 1907. Serial No. 371,277.

T 0 all whom-it may concern:

Be it known that I, Oscar: ROESEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Plate Proving andTrimming Machines, fully described and represented in the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in plate proving andtrimming mechanism.

In preparing printing plates, such, for instance, as stereotype orelectrotype plates, and particularly where a number of plates are to beused on the same machine, it is desirable that the plates have theiredges so trimmed that they can be locked up and print in the desiredregister with little or no adjustment of the plate holding devices ofthe machine. This is especially true of plates in color printing, wheresuccessive plates produce their impression one over the other, andwhere, consequently, the finest register is desired.

Heretofore attempts have been made to trim plates by reference tocertain predetermined marks. The variation in individual plates is such,however. that this mode of trimming is not satisfactory, andconsiderable time has to be expended in adjusting the plates by means ofthe plate holding de; vices of the machine, the machine being runbetween adjustments to determine exactly where the impressions will fallwith reference to each other.

The present invention has for one of its objects to produce a machine inwhich the trimming itself is determined by the fall of the impressionswith relation to each other, so that when the plates are once trimmed,

they can be set up on the printing machine scribed and then specificallypointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of amachine constructed in accordance with the invention, certain parts ofthe machine being shown in section. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of theconstruction shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the rotaryplate carrier employed. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of certaindevices which may be employed for shifting the plate on the platecarrier. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail view illustrating themeans for operating the plate shifting devices shown in Fig. 4, and alsocertain plate carrier locking devices which may be employed. Figs. 6 and7 are sectional and plan vlews respectively of a plate clamp which maybe employed. Fig. 8 is an end view of the construction shown in Fig. 7.Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view of a construction for mounting one ofthe sets of cutters. Fig. 10 is a detail section of part of theconstruction shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a detail view illustrating acutter ad usting device which may be employed.

Machines constructed in accordance with the invention in its best formwill be provided with a printing mechanism by which preliminary printsmay be obtained from the plates before subjecting the plates to thetrimming operation. This printin mechanism may be variously constructeSuch machines will also include a plate carrier for supporting the plateduring the trimming operation. In the particular machine illustrated,which is one embodiment of the in vention, the plate carrier is made torotate and forms one member of a printing couple, the other member beingalso a rotary member. I

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the various elements of themachine are mounted in side frames 1, 2, 3, these frames being tiedtogether in any usual way. The plate carrier 4, hereinabove referred to,may be mounted on a shaft 5', this shaft bein supported in'suitablebearlngs 6 adjustab ly mounted in the frame as is usual. As has beenindicated, this plate carrier may form one member of a printing couple,the other member including a cylinder 7 mounted on a shaft 8, mounted inbearings 9 suitably supported in the side frames 2, 3. The plate carrierand the cylinder referred to which may be an impression cylinder may beintergeared, the shaft 5 being provided with a gear 10 which is in meshwith a gear 11 mounted on the shaft 8. The cylinders may be driven inany suitable manner, but as shown, a driving pinion 12 is provided, thispinion being in mesh'with the gear 11. A feed-board, as 13, mounted asusual in hand fed presses, may be provided, and the sheet carrying orimpression cylinder will be provided with the usual sheet controllingagencies, such as grippers, not shown. The usual front stops, indicatedat 14, are or may be provided, and the frame mayalso support a receivingtable of usual construction, indicated at 15. I

The means for supporting the plates to be proved and trimmed on theplate carrier may be varied widely in their specific construction. Inthe particular machine illustrated (see Figs. 4' and 6), the platecarrier is provided with a support 16 which rests on a second block orsaddle 17. this saddle resting on the circumference of the plate carrier4-. The saddle may be held on the cylinder in any suitable manner,but inthe particular machine shown, two angular plates 18 are provided (seeFig.- 3), these plates being secured to the ends of the saddle by screws19. The angular ends 20 of these plates take into suitable undercutgrooves formed in the carrier, so that they prevent any circumferentialmovement of the saddle with respect to the carrier. The plate supportmay be secured to the saddle, when the same is employed, in any suitablemanner, but, as shown, the saddle carries a pair of undercut bearers 21(see Fig. 4) secured to the saddle by screws, or in any other suitablemanner. The edges of the block support 16 may be recessed slightly, asshown, and take under theoverhanging edges of the undercut bearers.These bearers hold the support firmlyin position but at the sametimepermit the support to be adjusted in the manner hereinafter re ferredto.

In machines constructed in accordance with the invention in its bestform, two sets of trimming devices will be employed, and devices will beemployed for producing an adjustment of the plate so as to bring thecuts made by these trimming devices in proper relation to, the matter onthe plate.

In the particular machine illustrated. the

' adjustment of the plate is done in part, at

least, by an adjustment of the support 16. Tothis end, in the machineillustrated, two sets of adjusting devices are provided for the supportv16, one set operating to adjust it circumferentially and the other setlongitudinally of the carrier. These adjusting devices may be of variousc onstruetioxis and variouslylocated. As shown, circumferentialadjustment of the block 16 is obtained by screws 22 tapped through theplates 18 and bearing against the ends of the block 16. By loosening thescrews passing through one of the plates 18 and tightening the screwspassing through the other plate, circumferential adjustment within thedesired limits may be obtained.

The longitudinal adjustment of the block referred to may be obtained byscrews 23 passing through the bearers 21 before referred to. I

The plates, one of which is indicated at '24, may be secured to theblock 16, when this block is employed, in any suitable or desiredmanner. In the best constructions, however, the plates will be securedon the support 16 by locking devices which in themselves permit anadjustment of the plates with respect to the support. The particularconstruction of locking devices employed for securing the plate on thesupport 16 may be varied within wide limits. As shown, four such lockingdevices are employed, but as these locking devices are the same, adescription of one will suffice for all.

In the particular construction illustrated, the block 16 is recessed outand in this recess is located a recessed block 25. This block may bemade movable toward and away from the block 16 and to this end may beprovided with a threaded orifice 26 which is engaged by a screw 27, thisscrew having a squared end 28 which extends through the bearer 21. Thescrew is held from longitudinal movement by a collar 29 which may besecured by screws 30, or in any other suitable manner, to the support16, this collar engagin between two collars 31 on the i of a number ofrecesses in the head of the. screw. In order to increase the ad ustmentwhich may be obtained by the screw 33, the recess in the block 35 isdeep enough to permit the insertion of ordinary furniture, a piece ofwhich is indicated at 38.

As has been indicated, devices for holding the plate on the support 16may be widely varied, but the construction thus described has specificadvantages in a machine of the kind now being described.- Further, itbeing understood that there are two of these devices on each of the foursides of the lates, it will be seen that within the limits esired anyadjustment of the plate,'no matter how fine, can be obtained.

he block 25 has an upper recess It being assumed that a plate is inposition in the machine, the plate will be inked imany suitable manner,as, for instance, by la;.-hand roller, and the machinerun, a sheet emthe eed-board by hand. The plate will deliver its impression on thissheet which will then be examined to see whether or not the impressionmade by the plate is in the right position on the sheet. If adjustmentof the plate is necessary to bring the impression in proper position,the adjustment is made by manipulating the proper adjusting devices ofthose hereinbefore described, after which the plate is trimmed. It willbe understood that as a rule the plate will have been trimmed roughly byordinary trimming devices before it is put in the machine.

The trimming devices employed in the machine may be varied widely inconstruction and may be variously located and operated. As a rule, theplates are rectangular so that two sets of trimming devices areemployed, one set for trimming two parallel edges of the plate and theother set for trimmin the other two parallel edges. In the particularconstruction shown, one set of trimming devices is arranged to bebrought into operation during a rotation of the plate carrier about itsaxis. These trimming devices should not, however, be in operativeposition during the printing operation. They should, therefore, bearranged so that they may receive a movement toward and away from theaxis of the cylinder in order to bring them into and out of operativerelation with the plate on the cylinder.

While the particular construction by which the results indicated areobtained may be varied, in the particular machine shown, there isprovided a cutter shaft 40, this cutter shaft being mounted in a housing41 pivoted on a shaft 42 supported in the side frames 2, 3. The cuttershaft may be provided with a pulley 43 by which it may be driven from abelt, as 44, operated from a pulley on a driven shaft 45 (see Figs. 1and 2). The belt may pass around a guide roll 46 on a belt tighteningarm 47, this arm being mounted on a hub 49 supported on the shaft 42. Tohold the belt tightenin arm in position, the hub '48 may be provide witha second arm 49' slotted as shown and engaged by a screw 50. The returnrun of the belt may pass around a guide pulley 51 mounted on a shaft 52'supported in the frame 23.

The shaft 40 may have the usual bush bearings, one of which is indicatedat 53 (see Fig. 10) and may be provided with cutters of any suitabledescription. As shown, one of the cutters consists of the ordinarycutter head 54 provided with cutters 55, these cutters being held inposition by screws 56', this construction being" a usual fed to theimpression cylinder from one. The cutter head may beheld in position onthe shaft by means of the usual washer 57 and nut 58. This head ma beadjusted in position if desired by shi ting the position of the washer57.

It will be understood that the housing 41 is normally in such positionthat the cutters stand away from the plate. This permits the rotation ofthe plate carrier to effect the printing operation before referred to.

The means for moving the housing toward and away from the axis oftheplate carrier to move the cutters into and out of operative positionmay be of any suitable description. In the particular constructionillustrated, the housing is provided with a long hub 59 to which issecured a segment arm 60, the teeth of this segment engaging the teethon a segment arm 61 which is supported on a hub 62 mounted on the shaft52 before referred to. This hub 62 has secured to it a lever 63. the hubbeing held in position by means of a collar 64. By moving the lever, itis obvious that the housing will be rocked on the shaft 42 as a center,thus moving the cutter shaft and its cutters toward and away from theaxis of the plate carrier. It will be understood that before the platecan be subjected to the action of the cutters just referred to, theplate holding clips or clamps operating on the sides of the plates whichare to be trimmed by the cutters must be released. This can be veryreadily done by operating the screws 27 which will draw the clips backout of the path of the cutters. The releasing of the clips referred to,however, causes the seat of the plate on the support 16 to be somewhatinsecure, and means should be provided to hold the plate during thetrimming operation. While these means may be "aried in construction, asshown, the housing 41 (see Figs. 9 and 10) is provided with rolls 64 onshaft 65 supported in bushings 66 in the housing. These rolls should beof elastic material or should have a cover of elastic material such asrubber, so that they may firmly grip and hold-the plate. The rolls 64are indicated as made of rubber in the drawings. The bushings 66 may beeccentric, as shown in the drawings, so as to permit any desiredadjustment within limits: of these elastic holding rolls.

After two edges of the plate have been trimmed, in the manner described,the other two edges are subjected to the trimming operation. The meansby which this is accomplished may be widely varied, but they will ofcourse include proper trimming devices and will also include means bywhich a relative movement is set up between such trimming devices andthe plate. In the particular machine shown, the plate is moved withrespect to the cutters and is moved on the plate carrier. I g- -Prioe tobeginning the movement of the plate, it is desirable that the platecarrier be ocked so as to be perfectly steady during what may be termedthe traveling movement of the plate. While this locking may be effectedby various means, in the particular construction shown, the shaft 5 ofthe carrier is provided with a locking collar 67 (see Figs. 2 and 5)this collar being feathered on the shaft, as indicated at 68, and alsobeing provided with a locking screw, as 69. This collar is provided withan aperture, which, when the carrier is in proper position so that theplate may be given its traveling movement, is engaged by a sliding pin70 which works through a suitable opening in a bracket 71 rising fromthe shaft bearing.

In the particular machine illustrated, the plate support 16 and thesaddle 17 are both given the traveling movement before referred to, theplate being carried with them. lVhile this may be effected in variousways, in the articular construction shown, the saddle 1 is provided witha lug 72 to which is secured a nut 73, this nut engaging a long screw 74provided with a squared head 75. While the saddle and support may besustamed during the cutting operation in varlous ways if the machinewhich embodies the invention is of such a character as to cause theseparts to partake of the traveling movement of the plate, in theparticular machine'shown, the plate carrier is provided with anextension, or, in other words, is made long enough to form a support forthe saddle during the trimming operation. This construction is clearlyshown in the drawings, and it may be remarked that as shown the platecarrier is provided with a groove or longitudinal recess 76 extendingfrom end to end thereof in which the screw 74 is located, the screwbeing journaled in plates 77 secured to the ends of the cylinder. Thescrew, when this shifting means is employed, may be turned in anysuitable way, but in the construction shown, there is provided a shortshaft 78, this shaft being journaledin a bearing 79 formed on thebracket 71 before referred to. This shaft may be provided with a handwheel 80 and may have a squared socket 81 which maybe caused to engagethe squared head- 75 by pushing the shaft lengthwise through itsbearing.

spring catch, as 82, may be employed to hold the shaft back, so as tokeep the socket out of engagement with the squared head 75 when suchengagement is not desired.

The cutter mechanism employed may be varied. but 'as shown it includes acutter shaft 83 journaled in bearings 84 secured to. the side frame Theshaft-may be driven by a pulley 85 anda belt 86 passing around a drivingpullev 87 'onthe shaft 45 before referred to. The cutter may consist ofcutter heads 88 (see Fig. 11) carrying the usual cutters 89, and inorder toadjust the cutters, the shaft 83 may be provided with anenlarged threaded section 84 which is enga ed by two adjusting nuts 85,one locate on each side of the cutter head. While the locking pin 70 maybe relied upon to prevent any movement of the cylinder upon its axisduring the trimming operation, a supplementary locking and guidingdevice may be provided. This device may consist, as in the machineshown, of a grooved rail 90 (see Figs. 1 and 12) secured to the frames 1and 2 and located opposite extensions of the plate carrier. The groovein this rail may be engaged by the top of one of the plates 18 beforereferred to. While this device is not absolutely necessary, its use isrecommended as when it is employed less strain is placed on the lockingpin during the time the saddle is traveling along the extension of theplate carrier so that this pin is less liable to wear.

It will be understood, of course, that during the time the cutters 88are operating, the plate clamps or clips on the edges of the plate whichare being trimmed by the cutters will be thrown out. hile supplementaryplate holding devices might be employed to hold the plate during theoperation of these cutters 88, this will usually be found to beunnecessary, because of the difference in the operating angle betweenthe clips which operate on the ends of the plate and those which operateon the sides, and for that reason the four end clips will usually besullicient to hold the plate during the side trimming operation.

. The operation of the machine will' be understood from the foregoingdescription. It may, however, be remarked that after. the plate istrimmed the clamps are agai caused to engage with the trimmed plate anda second proof from the plate may be taken and this proof carefullyexamined. If it-be found that the impression now obtained is in theright position on the sheet no further operations are necessary. If,however, the impression is not in the right place on the sheet, theplate will be subjected to a further trimming operation, theseoperations being continued until the plate is exactly right.

It will be understood that according to this invention the plates areproved not by arbitrary marks but by the impressions of the platesthemselves. The plates can, therefore, when they are once proved, bemounted in their position on the printing machine with certainty thattheir impressions will register. Much time is. therefore,

number of plates is employed, as is the case with the modern fastrunning machines. Each plate may be mounted on the proper cylinder ofthe printing machine, its position being determined in any desired way,

as by the use of marks or a special gage. It is then looked in positionby the usual plate clamps or cli s and no further adjustment or provingof the plates will be necessary. In other words, the machine may bestarted when the plates are locked on the cylinders with certaint thatthe impression of each plate will all in proper register with relationto all the other plates, and it is therefore not necessary, as is nowthe case, to run and stop the machine frequently for the purpose ofproving the position of the plates.

It will be understood, as has been indicated, that the invention may becarried into effect by machines which differ widely in construction. Theinvention is not, therefore, to be restricted to the specific machinehereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

What is claimed is l. The combination with a printing mechamsm, of platetrimming devices, and means for adjusting the plates to bring them intopredetermined position before or after printing and before the trimmingdevices operate upon them, so that the plates of a set may betrimmeduniformly with respect to their desired register.

2. The combination with a printin couple, of plate trimming devicesarran e to cooperate with the plate carrying mem er of said couple, andmeans on said member for adjusting the plate before it is operated uponby the trimming devices.

3. The combination with a printing couple including a rotary platecarrying member, of end trimming devices, and means for adjusting theplate before it is operated upon by said trimming devices so that thelates of a set may be trimmed along their ends uniformly with respect totheir desired register.

4. The combination with a printing couple includin a rotary platecarrying member, of side trimming devices, and means for adjusting theplate before it is operated upon by said trimmin devices, so that thelates of a set may be trimmed along their sides uniformly with respectto their desired register;

5. The' combination with a printing couple including a rotary platecarrying member, of end trimming devices, side, trimming devices, andmeans for adjusting the plate before it is operated u on by saidtrimming devices, so that the p ates of a set ma be trimmed uniformlywith respect to their desired register.

6. The combination with a rotary printing couple, of a set of trimmingdevices ar ranged to cooperate with a plate carryingmember of thecouple, of means whereby said trimming devices may be moved toward andaway from the axis of the cylinder to throw them into and out ofoperative relation therewith, and means for, adjusting the platelengthwise of the rotary carrier.

7. The combination with a rotating plate carrier, of means operating onthe edges of the plate-to adjust and hold the same in position on thecarrier, a set of trimming de-' vices arranged to coiiperate with thecarrier as it turns about its axis, means for moving the trimmingdevices toward and away from the axis of the cylinder to bring them intoand out of'operation, and means for throwing out of operation theholding devices operating on the edges of the plate to be trimmed by thetrimming devices, and means brought into operation by the movement ofthe cutters for holding the plate during the trimming operation.

8. The combination with a rotatin plate carrier, of means operating onthe e ges of the plate for adjusting and holding the same i in positionon the carrier, a set of cutters co- 9. The combination with a rotatinplatecarrier, of means operating on the e ges of .the plate foradjusting and holding a plate in position thereon, a frame, a set ofedge trimming devices mounted on the frame, means for moving the frametoward and away from the axis of the carrier, a flexible plate holdingroll or rolls mounted on the frame and arranged to bear on the plateduring the operation of the trimming devices, and means for throwing outof action the holding devices operating on the edges of the plate to beacted upon by the trimming devices.

10. The combination with a plate carrier, of a plate support mountedthereon, a set of adjustable plate holding devices for adjusting andholding the plate in position on the support, two sets of cuttersarranged to produce cuts substantially at right angles to each other,means for movingthe carrier to bring one set of cutters into operation,and means for moving the support on the carrier to bring the second setof cutters into Operation.

11. In machines for successlvely trimm ng plates of the same character,the combinat on with the trimming devices, of a plate carrier a flexiblesecond set of cutters into operation, and

andplate holding and adjusting devices, one or more of said devicesincluding a recessed block, an edge clamp ad ustably mounted in therecess of the block, and means for adjusting the block.

12. in machines for successively trimming plates of the same character,the combination with the trimming devices, of a plate carrier and plateholding and adjusting devices, one or more of said devices including arecessed block, an edge clamp adjustably mounted in the recess of theblock, a screw for adjusting the edge clamp, and a screw for adjustingthe block.

13. The combinationwith a rotary plate carrier, of a plate'supportoperatively con nected with and moving with the carrier, means foradjusting and holding the plates on the. support, a set of cuttersarranged to trim the plate as the carrier rotates about its axis, asecond set of cutters arranged to produce cuts substantially at rightangles to the first set, and means for moving the support lengthwise ofthe cylinder to bring the second set of cutters into operation.

' 14. The combination with a rotary plate carrier, of a plate supportoperatively connected with and moving with the carrier, means foradjusting and holding the plates on the support, a set of cuttersarranged to trim the plate as the carrier rotates about its axis, asecond set of cutters arranged to produce cuts substantially at rightangles to the first set, means for moving the support lengthwise of thecylinder to bring the means for holding and guiding the support in itsmovement.

15. The combination with a long plate carrying cylinder, of animpression cylinder cooperating with one end thereof, a plate support onthe plate cylinder, means for adjusting and ho ding the plate inposition thereon, a set of cutters arranged to trim the plate as thecylinder moves about its axis, means for moving the cutters toward andaway from the axis of the cylinder to bring them into and out ofoperative rela tion, a second set of cutters arranged to trim the edgesof the plate not trimmed by the first set, and means for moving thesupport from one end of the cylinderto the other to permit the operationof the second set of cutters.

the support from one end of the cylinder to the other to permit theoperationwof the second set of cutters, and.a guide for controlling themovement of the plate support as it travels along the cylinder.

- 17. The combination with a long plate carrying cylinder, of animpression cylinder cooperating with one end thereof, a plate support onthe plate cylinder, means for adjusting and holding the plate inposition thereon, a set of cutters arranged to trim the plate as thecylinder moves about its axis, means for moving the cutterstoward andaway from the axis of the cylinder to bring them into operativerelation, a second set of cutters arranged to trim the edges of theplate not trimmed by the first set, means for moving the support fromone end of the cylinder to the other to permit the operation of thesecond set of cutters, and means for locking the plate carrying cylinderagainst rotation.

18. The combination with a long plate carrying cylinder, of animpression cylinder cotiperating with one end thereof, a plate supporton the plate cylinder, means for adjusting and holding the plate inposition thereon, a set of cutters arranged to trim the plate as thecylinder moves about its axis, means for moving the cutters toward andaway from the axis of the cylinder to bring them into operativerelation, :1- second set of cutters arranged to.trim the edges of theplate not trimmed by the first set, means for moving the support fromone end of the cylinder to the other to permit. the operation ofthesecond set of cutters, aguide for controlling the movement of the platesupport as it travels along the cylinder, and means for locking theplate cylinder against rotation.

In testimony whereof, I have. hereunto set my-hand, in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

OSCAR ROESEN.

Witnesses: Gno. A. Duncan,

A. Bowm, Jr.

